This is the translation of the article from daily Newspaper „Sme"

Monday 15^th June 1998

Following article was printed on the second page:

Title:

Few hundreds of married and engaged couples gathered together Saturday afternoon in Bratislava in order to confirm their true love through pledge of fidelity not only „till death do us part", but for eternity. Especially foreign couples from Germany, Poland, Belgium and Great Britain gathered together on the European Family Festival. Slovak bishop’s conference said that there is Moon’s sect hiding itself behind the organizer, the Family Federation for world peace. Few young people demonstrated this opinion in front of the Hall with the banner: „Family is just a means for spreading of Moon’s sect in Slovakia". We asked Ing. Milos Klas, speaker of FFWP, to comment this point. „Family is not the pretence but the reason of our meeting. Opinion that we are just substitute of Unification church came out probably because there are its representatives here. But people of another religious beliefs came also and also people without faith. Our goal is to strengthen the old traditions and values: that means absolute love, fidelity of one spouse to the other all life long and celibacy before marriage." – Milos Klas emphasized.

Wedding was held interactively through the screen. Through that 12 cities worldwide were connected with the central event in New York, Madison Square Garden. Mass weddings are known feature of Moon’s sect. It is also known for the fact that its young members often cut off their studies or job, they give their property or incomes to the sect and they start to do missionary work. Spouse is chosen for them by reverend Moon who is later marrying them in mass weddings. Fiancées know their partner just in the last moment before the wedding. Unification church was established by Moon in South Korea in 1953. His followers consider him to be Heavenly Father, Messiah and the Lord of Second Advent. The event of similar character was held in Bratislava for the first time, if we do not count that the satellite transmission without the presence of married couples was held in Pasienky Hall also last year (???).

250 couples got married on the European Family Festival according to the information given by its organizing committee, but according to estimation of independent observers it was less then 150 couples. Couples, chosen from people from all over the world personally by Korean reverend Moon, were mostly of mixed nationalities and big part of newly wed couples was from Poland. Wedding took place interactively through screen. With its help 12 cities world wide were connected to the central place in New York, Madison Square Garden.